Tag Archives: soul

Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #439: Sam Cooke, Live At The Harlem Square Club 1963

#439

Sam Cooke, Live At The Harlem Square Club 1963

Release Date: 1985 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
Sam Cooke, Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963
Where have you been my whole life?
Impressions: I've heard of this album, but never listened to a minute of it, mostly because radio stations rarely play live albums and, I guess, some laziness on my part. Let's put it on… Right off the bat, the atmosphere is pretty great; sounds like a hot crowd in a smaller, more intimate setting that most concert albums. Sam "Mr. Soul" Cooke and his band … Continue Reading ››
Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #456: Marvin Gaye – Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear
Who wants to hear some stone cold jams about my painful divorce?
#456

Marvin Gaye, Here, My Dear

Release Date: 1978 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: There's a unique backstory on this album. I know, most on this list have a story too, but this one is one of a kind. Marvin "gave" (half of the royalties) his ex-wife Anna Gordy in a weird divorce agreement. At first, Marvin tried to make a "lazy, bad" album for her, but then he got inspired by his conficting emotions from their distintegrated relationship … Continue Reading ››
Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #458: Elton John – Tumbleweed Connection

Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection
Piano men have always been kinda like gunslingers, right?
#458

Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection

Release Date: 1970 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: Not well-versed in Sir Elton outside of the big hits. I considre myself a fan nor a hater. Let's give this a spin... Weird choice for only his third album: a very loose old-West-themed concept album by two guys (Elton John, lyricist Bernie Taupin) who had never been to the US at the time. Hubris (and drugs) can only be the reason they'd do this. Oddly, this fake country … Continue Reading ››